Storage Devices

Magnetic backing storage; 

• Magnetic tapes (type of magnetic backing storage media);  large capacity, serial access medium.

Uses: data back-up, some batch-processing
Advantage: can store large amount of data
Disadvantage: slow (rarely access in an emergency)
-Magnetic tape drive; data storage device that reads and writes data on a magnetic tape.
Uses; offline, archival storage
Advantage: long archival stability, favorable unit cost
Disadvantage: slow sequential access




CD R/DVD R (Recordable); data can be burnt onto them, but not erased. You can keep adding data until the disc is full, but you cannot remove any data or re-use a full disc.
Uses: record audio and another form of data e.g. music, spreadsheet, document video file etc.
Advantage: mass storage capacity
Disadvantages: easily broken, data can't be read properly if there are scratches.

CD RW/DVD RW (ReWritable); data can be burnt onto them and also erased, so that the discs can be re-used.
Uses: record audio and another form of data
Advantage: high data stability
Disadvantages: require special drive to read and write, most of CD players can not play CD-RW


Solid state drives; uses integrated circuit assemblies as memory to store data persistently. It contain no moving parts.
Uses: store data
Advantage: faster, better performance and reliability than HDD, low energy consumption
Disadvantage: expensive